Oven door mounting means



Dec. 10, 1963 F. 1.. MILBURN ETAL 3,113,566

OVEN DOOR MOUNTING MEANS 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed July 23, 1962 n a 5 mmm y e a wwsfi m A F 2 mML m W u? 0 w 0 FT r BY W 1963 F. 1.. MILBURN ETAL 3,113,566

OVEN DOOR MOUNTING MEANS Filed July 25, 1962 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 |6 |8 INYENTORS frank L. It'll/2y, 3 BY errance lgman The/r A horney United States Patent Ofitice 3,113,566 Patented Dec. 10, 1963 3,113,566 OVEN DOQR MQUNTING MEANS Frank L. Milburn, Bellbrook, and Terrance L. Sigman,

This invention relates generally to oven doors of the drop type which are hinged along the bottom thereof and swing outwardly and downwardly from a vertical closed position through a horizontal open position to a vertical out-of-the-way position.

As built-in appliances have become more popular, there has been greater concentration of effort in improving the cleanability of built-in ovens. The extended oven door has always been a problem in providing accessibility to the interior of the oven. For this reason mechanism has been provided which will permit the oven door to be lowered to an out-of-the-way position so that it is easier to reach into the oven cavity for cleaning the liner. This invention is directed to an improved door latch mechanism for the drop-door type of oven.

Accordingly, it is an object of this invention to provide an improved mechanism for controlling an oven door of the drop type.

It is another object of this invention to provide a latch mechanism for retaining an oven door in selected positions and including means which can be depressed to release the door for travel to an out-of-the-way position.

A further object of this invention is the provision of push actuated latch mechanism for an oven door of the drop type.

Further objects and advantages of the present invention will be apparent from the following description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings wherein a preferred embodiment of the present invention is clearly shown.

In the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a somewhat schematic perspective view of a wall oven incorporating the oven door latch mechanism of this invention;

FIGURE 2 is a side sectional view partly in elevation taken along line 22 in FIGURE to illustrate the push release oven door control mechanism of this invention with the oven door in a closed position;

FIGURE 3 is a side sectional view similar to FIGURE 2 with the oven door in a horizontal support position (solid line) and in a partially open Broil position (phantom line);

FIGURE 4 is a side sectional view similar to FIGURE 2 with the oven door in a dropped or depending out-ofthe-way position; and

FIGURE 5 is a sectional view partly in elevation taken along line 5-5 in FIGURE 2.

In accordance with this invention and with reference to FIGURE 1, a wall oven includes a liner 11 and an insulation retainer 12 spaced from the liner-a wall oven front panel or frame 13 being adapted to abut the wall in which the oven is installed. A control panel 14 is provided at the top of the oven and an oven door 16 is hingedly mounted at 18 for horizontally downwardly pivotal movement. The oven 10 is provided with a pair of interchangeable latch mechanisms, shown generally at 20, which permit the oven door 16 selectively to assume a slightly open Broil position 22, a horizontal utensil supporting position (shown in the solid line) and a dropped out-of-the-way position 24. With this arrangement flexible bonds or cables 26, 28 support the door throughout its movement, disappearing into the side wall of the oven through apertures 30, 32 in the front frame as the door closes. Where access without obstruction is desired to the interior of the oven 10, door 16 may be dropped to position 24 in accordance with features embodied in the latch mechanisms 20 described more fully hereinafter. Each side of the oven 10, insulation retainer 12 for instance, includes a channel 34 for recessing the spring return portion of the latch and the recoil of the flexible cable when the door is closed. Although the oven door here depicted is shown in connection with a wall oven, it is to be understood that the principles here advanced are equally applicable to drop doors installed on other types of cooking ranges.

Turning now to FIGURES 2 and 5, the push type latch mechanism 20 of this invention is shown comprised of an oven door mechanism support housing or bracket 46) fastened to the insulation retainer wall 12 as at 41 and to a rearwardly extending flange portion 43 on the wall oven front panel 13 such as at 45. The bracket 40 is formed of folded up sheet steel to include a rear wall 42, side walls 44 and 46 and a top wall 48. Each side wall 44- and 46 is recessed as at 50, 52 and vertically slotted at 54, 56 to receive a saddle assembly shown generally at 58. The side walls 44- and 46 are again depressed at 60, 62 to pivotally receive an oven door control bracket assembly 64 which extends through an opening 68 in the rear wall 42 of the support bracket 40. A lower portion of the rear wall 42 has an opening to receive a ferrule 70 which in cooperation with an opening 72 in the wall oven front panel 13 reciprocatingly receives and guides a push button release assembly 74.

The saddle assembly 53 is comprised of a rod-like pin 76 reciprocatingly received in an opening on the top wall 48 of the support bracket 40. A U-shaped bracket 78 is riveted at the lower end of the rod and becomes a lower stop for a spring 80 circumscribing the rod 76 and stopped at its upper end by the top wall 48 of the support bracket. The U-shaped bracket 78 pivotally carries a latch roller 82 on a pin 84 which extends through the roller and the side walls of the U-shaped bracket 78 into the elongated slots 54, 56 in the epressed side wall portions 50, 52 respectively of the support bracket 40. Thus, the saddle assembly 58 is free to shift vertically when the striker 90 on the door projects through the slot 32 into the latch cavity defined by the folded up support bracket 49 and to provide a continuous bias on the striker. In FIGURE 2 the latch roller 82 bears against the outboard slope 92 of the striker to continuously biasingly retain the door 16 in its closed position. On the other hand, and with reference to FIGURE 3 (phantom line) the latch roller 82 bears on the inboard slope 4 of the striker 90 to keep the door 16 in its partly open Broil position. When the roller 82 is not engaged with the door striker, the

spring 81 biases the assembly to its lowest position permitted by the roller pivot pin 84 in the slots 54, 56.

The oven door control bracket assembly 64 is best seen in FIGURES 2 and 5 and includes an inverted U-shaped stop bracket portion 96 pivotable about the axis of a cable guide roller 538 on a pivot pin 100 Which is affixed in the recessed side wall portions 69, 62 of the support bracket 4%. A stop pin 162, also aflixed in the recessed wall portions 60, 62, engages the pair of depending latch release tangs or release portions 104, 106 to limit pivotal movement of the stop bracket in a clockwise direction when the door is in its horizontal support position (FIG- URE 3 solid line).

At the rear of the stop bracket 96, laterally outwardly bent stop flanges such as 108 on each side of the U- shaped bracket engage mating flanges, such as 110, on a movable pulley bracket assembly 112.

The movable pulley bracket assembly 112 is comprised of a folded up sheet metal generally U-shaped support bracket 114 for pivotally supporting a cable support pulley 116 at its front end and the cable return springs 118, 120 at the rear thereof. The springs are then fastened at their opposite ends to the back of the recess 34-spring tension being adjustable in accordance with which holes 121 are used.

The oven door release assembly 74 is comprised of a molded phenolic member 122 which has a cylindrical push button portion 1-24 extending through the opening 72 in the wall oven front panel and an integral rod-like pin portion 126 reciprocatingly received and guided in the ferrule 70. A coil spring 128 retained by integral arcuate portions 130, 132 and a flange on the ferrule 70 serves to urge the push button 124 outwardly at all times. The molded member 122 includes a raised forwardly formed push flange or stop bracket actuator portion 136 which engages the depending tangs 104, 106 of the stop bracket 96. When the button 124 is depressed, the flange 136 causes the stop bracket 96 to pivot in a counterclockwise direction around the guide pulley pin The flexible bond or door support cable 28, for instance, is fixed as at 142 to a lower portion of the back wall 42 of the support bracket and wraps around the support pulley 116 before extending through the stop bracket 96 and the oven frame into engagement with the oven door 16 as at 144-. In normal operation, the cable 28 remains aflixed at its one end to the support bracket 40 and at its other end to the door 16.

In operation the door 16 will move freely between its horizontal position and its closed position. When it is desired to lower the door to its out-of-the-way position seen in FIGURE 4, the push button 124 on each side of the oven cavity is depressed to move the stop tangs 196, 108 on the stop bracket 96 out of alignment with the stop flanges 110 on the movable pulley bracket 114. This allows the movable pulley bracket to move forward sufliciently to pay out enough cable to facilitate the movement of the door to its dropped position. When the door is returned to its closed position, the bolt 90 will reestablish the blocking arrangement for the stop bracket 96 seen in FIGURE 2.

It should now be seen that an improved door latch mechanism for a drop door oven has been provided which is comprised of a minimum number of parts and is actuatable by push action to release the door and automatically returnable into door support relationship when the door is closed.

While the embodiment of the present invention as herein disclosed constitutes a preferred form, it is to be understood that other forms might be adopted.

What is claimed is as follows:

1. In combination, an oven having a frame; a door on said frame; a striker on said door; means for supporting said door for pivotal movement throughout substantially 180 including a flexible bond connected to said door and carrying an enlarged portion; means for selectively latching said door comprising a support plate having a pivot pin thereon, keeper means yieldably, vertically reciprocatingly mounted on said plate substantially coplanar with said striker for engaging said striker in a first position to close said door and in a second position to hold said door slightly open, a U-shaped stop bracket pivotally mounted about. said pivot pin on said plate and having a stop portion substantially coplanar with said enlarged portion for cooperating with said enlarged portion to limit the pivotal movement of said door at a horizontal position, said stop bracket having a depending latch release portion below said pivot pin, a stop pin engageable by said latch release portion when said door is in said horizontal position for resisting pivotal movement of said stop bracket in a clockwise direction, a one piece push release member having a push button portion extending through said frame and a stop bracket actuator portion behind said frame engaging said release portion on said stop bracket to pivot said stop portion in a counterclock- Wise direction out of cooperating relationship with said enlarged portion when said push button portion is manually pushed inwardly relative to said frame thereby to release said door for pivotal movement below said horizontal position; and automatic reset means including means on said stop bracket actuatable by said striker to return said stop portion to a cooperating relationship with said enlarged portion when said door is closed and means on said support plate continuously biasingly connected to said release member to push said push button outwardly relative to said frame whenever said push button portion is not being manually pushed.

2. In combination, an oven having a frame; a door on said frame; a striker on said door; means for supporting said door for pivotal movement throughout substantially including a flexible bond connected to said door and carrying an enlarged portion; means for selectively latching said door comprising a support plate having a pivot pin thereon, keeper means mounted on said plate substantially coplanar with said striker for engaging said striker in a first position to close said door and in a second position to hold said door slightly open, a stop bracket pivotally mounted about said pivot pin on said plate and having a stop portion substantially coplanar with said'enlarged portion for cooperating with said enlarged portion to limit the pivotal movement of said door at a third position, said stop bracket having a depending latch release portion below said pivot pin, a stop pin engageable by said latch release portion when said door is in said third position for resisting pivotal movement of said stop bracket in a first direction, a push release member having a push button portion extending through said frame and an actuator flange portion behind said frame engaging said release portion on said stop bracket to pivot said stop portion in a second direction out of cooperating relationship with said enlarged portion when said push button portion is actuated inwardly relative to said frame thereby to release said door for pivotal movement beyond said third position; and automatic reset means including means on said stop bracket actuatable by said striker to return said stop portion to a cooperating relationship with said enlarged portion and means on said support plate biasingly connected to said release member to actuate said push button portion outwardly relative to said frame.

3. In combination with a frame; a door on said frame; a striker on said door; means for supporting said door for pivotal movement throughout substantially 180 including a flexible bond connected, to said door and carrying an enlarged portion; means for selectively latching said door comprising a support means, keeper means mounted on said support means substantially coplanar with said striker for engaging said striker with said door in a first position, stop bracket means pivotally mounted on said support means and havinga stop portion substantially coplanar with said enlarged portion for cooperating with said enlarged portion to limit the pivotal movement of said door at a second position, said stop bracket means having a depending latch release portion below the pivot axis of said stop bracket means, push release means extending through said frame and having an actuator means behind said frame engageable with said release portion on said stop bracket means to pivot said stop portion out of cooperating relationship with said enlarged portion when said push release means is actuated inwardly relative to said frame thereby to release said door for pivotal movement beyond said second position; said actuator means engageable with said release portion and said frame when said door is in said second position for resisting pivotal movement of said stop bracket means to prevent the release of said door for pivotal movement beyond said second position; and automatic reset means including means on said stop bracket means actuable by said striker to return said stop portion to a cooperating relationship with said enlarged portion and means on said support means biasingly connected to said push release means to actuate said push release means outwardly relative to said frame.

4. In combination with a frame; a door on said frame;

a striker on said door; means for supporting said door for pivotal movement throughout substantially 180 including a flexible bond connected to said door and carrying an enlarged portion; means for selectively latching said door comprising a support means, keeper means mounted on said support means substantially coplanar with said striker for engaging said striker with said door in a. first position, stop bracket means pivotally mounted on said support means and having a stop portion substantially coplanar with said enlarged portion for cooperating With said enlarged portion to limit the pivotal movement of said door at a second position, said stop bracket means having a depending latch release portion below the pivot axis of said stop bracket means, and push release means extending through said frame and having an actuator means hehind said frame engageable with said release portion on said stop bracket means to pivot said stop portion out of cooperating relationship with said enlarged portion when said push release means is actuated inwardly relative to said frame thereby to release said door for pivotal movement beyond said second position; said actuator means engageable with said release portion and said frame when said door is in said second position for resisting pivotal movement of said stop bracket means to prevent the release of said door for pivotal movement beyond said second position.

5. In combination with frame means having a support section; a door on said frame means; a striker on said door; means for supporting said door for pivotal movement throughout substantially 180 including a flexible bond connected to said door and carrying an enlarged portion; and means for selectively latching said door comprising, keeper means mounted on said support section and having at least a portion thereof substantially coplanar with said striker for engaging said striker with said door in a first position, stop bracket means pivotally mounted on said support section and having a stop portion substantially coplanar with said enlarged portion for cooperating with said enlarged portion to limit the pivotal movement of said door at a second position, said stop bracket means having a latch release portion extending generally radially from the pivot axis of said stop bracket means, and push release means extending outwardly from said support section and having an actuator means inwardly of said support section engageable with said release portion on said stop bracket means to pivot said stop portion out of cooperating relationship with said enlarged portion when said push release means is actuated inwardly relative to said support section thereby to release said door for pivotal movement beyond said second position; said actuator means engageable With said release portion and said support section when said door is in said second position for resisting pivotal movement of said stop bracket means to prevent the release of sand door for pivotal movement beyond said second position.

6. In combination with frame means having a support section; a door on said frame means; a striker on said door; means for supporting said door for pivotal move ment throughout substantially including a flexible bond connected to said door and carrying an enlarged portion; and means for selectively latching said door comprising, keeper means mounted on said support section and having at least a portion thereof substantially coplanar with said striker for engaging said striker with said door in a first position, stop bracket means pivotally mounted on said support section and having a stop portion substantially coplanar with said enlarged portion for cooperating with said enlarged portion to limit the pivotal movement of said door at a second position, said stop bracket means having a latch release portion extending generally radially from the pivot axis of said stop bracket means, and push release means extending outwardly from said support section and having an actuator means inwardly of said support section engageable with said release portion on said stop bracket means to pivot said stop portion out of cooperating relationship with said enlarged portion when said push release means is actuated inwardly relative to said support section thereby to release said door for pivotal movement beyond said second position; said support section including means engageable with said release portion when said door is in said second position for resisting pivotal movement of said stop bracket means to prevent the release of said door for pivotal movement beyond said second position.

Fry Jan. 19, 1960 Carnahan Aug. 14, 1962 

1. IN COMBINATION, AN OVEN HAVING A FRAME; A DOOR ON SAID FRAME; A STRIKER ON SAID DOOR; MEANS FOR SUPPORTING SAID DOOR FOR PIVOTAL MOVEMENT THROUGHOUT SUBSTANTIALLY 180* INCLUDING A FLEXIBLE BOND CONNECTED TO SAID DOOR AND CARRYING AN ENLARGED PORTION; MEANS FOR SELECTIVELY LATCHING SAID DOOR COMPRISING A SUPPORT PLATE HAVING A PIVOT PIN THEREON, KEEPER MEANS YIELDABLY, VERTICALLY RECIPROCATINGLY MOUNTED ON SAID PLATE SUBSTANTIALLY COPLANAR WITH SAID STRIKER FOR ENGAGING SAID STRIKER IN A FIRST POSITION TO CLOSE SAID DOOR AND IN A SECOND POSITION TO HOLD SAID DOOR SLIGHTLY OPEN, A U-SHAPED STOP BRACKET PIVOTALLY MOUNTED ABOUT SAID PIVOT PIN ON SAID PLATE AND HAVING A STOP PORTION SUBSTANTIALLY COPLANAR WITH SAID ENLARGED PORTION FOR COOPERATING WITH SAID ENLARGED PORTION TO LIMIT THE PIVOTAL MOVEMENT OF SAID DOOR AT A HORIZONTAL POSITION, SAID STOP BRACKET HAVING A DEPENDING LATCH RELEASE PORTION BELOW SAID PIVOT PIN, A STOP PIN ENGAGEABLE BY SAID LATCH RELEASE PORTION WHEN SAID DOOR IS IN SAID HORIZONTAL POSITION FOR RESISTING PIVOTAL MOVEMENT OF SAID STOP BRACKET IN A CLOCKWISE DIRECTION, A ONE PIECE PUSH RELEASE MEMBER HAVING A PUSH BUTTON PORTION EXTENDING THROUGH SAID FRAME AND A STOP BRACKET ACTUATOR PORTION BEHIND SAID FRAME ENGAGING SAID RELEASE PORTION ON SAID STOP BRACKET TO PIVOT SAID STOP PORTION IN A COUNTERCLOCKWISE DIRECTION OUT OF COOPERATING RELATIONSHIP WITH SAID ENLARGED PORTION WHEN SAID PUSH BUTTON PORTION IS MANUALLY PUSHED INWARDLY RELATIVE TO SAID FRAME THEREBY TO RELEASE SAID DOOR FOR PIVOTAL MOVEMENT BELOW SAID HORIZONTAL POSITION; AND AUTOMATIC RESET MEANS INCLUDING MEANS ON SAID STOP BRACKET ACTUATABLE BY SAID STRIKER TO RETURN SAID STOP PORTION TO A COOPERATING RELATIONSHIP WITH SAID ENLARGED PORTION WHEN SAID DOOR IS CLOSED AND MEANS ON SAID SUPPORT PLATE CONTINUOUSLY BIASINGLY CONNECTED TO SAID RELEASE MEMBER TO PUSH SAID PUSH BUTTON OUTWARDLY RELATIVE TO SAID FRAME WHENEVER SAID PUSH BUTTON PORTION IS NOT BEING MANUALLY PUSHED. 